Inquisitio
by LisaAbiona15
Summary: Regina was initially meant to make this woman confess to whatever crimes Cora suspected her of commiting. Instead, there forms a bond between her and the woman she can never quite decide is a witch , a human or something else entirely… Dragon Queen au.


**I don't own OUAT. I got the inspiration for this when I was reading fics & there was this one prompt for historical au or something [ sorry, my memory sucks] **

She is defiant. And calm, eerily so. Most people tremble and offer gold, secrets, papyrus – anything valuable to save their own lives. Or they fight-snarl and sneer and throw fireballs or swing swords.

This woman is a statue. Regina shivers when faced with her smile, attempts to hide it. She gestures and the men flanking her press into the house. One of them pushes a cabinet to the floor, another breaks that same floor open with his sword. Regina eyes keep glancing at the woman, even if she manages to keep her back straight and her expression disinterested. But she cannot help the slight staring;

She has never seen one of the Accused wear an expression that says 'if you were not slightly amusing, your stupidity would annoy me'. And she would think she is just projecting, but one of the things Regina needs to be able to, is read people well. She needs to be able to notice and analyse every twitch, every flash, every breath. So she knows.

She stares at the men again. She is strategizing in her head, how can she- then her own breath hitches and there is a not altogether unpleasant shiver that multiplies into dozens jumping along her spine.

She stares down at where the woman's hand is. She slowly glances up, making sure to keep her gaze- she is caught for a moment by eyes that are either blue or grey, then forces herself to focus. Her mind feels sluggish, like she has not slept in a while her eyes feel like there is sand in them. _Magic?_ She considers a number or spells or potions that can do this but- she cannot think of a single one.

Not that it means she can indefinitely say it is not magic ; her mother only allows her to learn the bare minimum and her attempts to teach herself have only had mediocre results thanks to a combination of slight aversion to magic and how difficult it is.

The invasive sound of something – glass?- shattering draws Regina away from her thoughts. She glances at one of her mother's recent favourite; a man whose face is hidden like usual behind the jewelled mask he wears, his gloved fingers holding a glimmering flask.

Several others lay on the floor, in pieces. " What is this?".

The woman barely moves as she shrugs. Regina hides the surprise she feels at the indifference. " It is foreign, from Midas' empire ".

" And why would you be there?".

" I do believe that is my own concern, not yours. Is Midas not an ally?".

Regina thinks of war rooms, and smirks and maps. She thinks of armies and lies and fires. She thinks of many things, the thing they have in common how unsteady and ill they make her feel. Seasick, without even being near the sea.

" We have a truce with Midas, yes" she says, watching as mother's favourite places the flasks in his belt. Before he can take the flasks that are left, she shakes her head and he stops. He always obeys her, but she isn't fooled by it. She knows his cruel nature and there have been multiple times her skin itched with suspicion and fire – there was this one time she found him in one of the back rooms, a girl pressed against the wall and him leaning in more and more despite how much it was obviously not wanted.

She suspects what kind of man he is.

The kind of man Cora would like, men that are sly and cruel. Men that listen to her every whim and have no scruples. Men that would drag Regina to the 'freezer' (the room that Cora enchanted to be so cold every breath hurts) and leave her there until she is ready to be a good girl again.

"Hand that to me " she orders and like expected, he immediately does. But she doesn't miss the flash in those eyes either, the one that makes her certain that if he even gets half a chance- he will hurt her. She hands the flash to the woman next to her. " You can keep this".

" How kind of you" she drawls, but her hand is gentle as she slowly takes the flask. Regina's skin tingles where the long nails have dragged carefully along her skin. It angers her , a little. She glares at the woman before turning to the men. " I do believe we are finished here".

" Should we not- ".

" You already have a sample in your possession, you may hand that to the head inquisitor for inspection" Regina says, fighting to make her voice sound as indifferent as it does.

" Very well, madam " he says while his companion remains silent. She doesn't know him. She knows few of the men and women that are sent with her on 'outings' like this. She only knows only the guards mother designed to her and the people that manage to become favourite's – which never lasts long. It is neither worthwhile to force friendships nor could she ever have a real friendship with these people. They belong to her mother.

" We expect you to remain in the vicinity of this dwelling" she informs the woman, as though the villagers- no, the entire kingdom's inhabitants are not drilled, are not regularly told the rules , as though there are no papers with rules nailed to trees and cavern doors everywhere.

She shrugs again, leans against the wall. Regina has never seen an Accused this blasé before, it is almost fascinating to watch. She wonders w _hat kind of secrets or talents do you possess, that you can be this calm and collected?_

She doesn't ask of course, just stalks past the woman- attempts to ignore how she doesn't move and her skin tingles from where they brush- then goes outside. She can hear the heavy steps of her mother's lackeys behind her, the stumbling steps of the silent one that has probably tripped over his cape again and the heavy ones of 'pretty boy' (as some of the braver servants have taken to calling him).

She wishes there was silence again

* * *

Regina is not the fairies' greatest admirer. She used to wish on stars a lot when she was little, right before the Takings happened. When papa always looked so weary and he fumbled as he tried to talk to his wife , only to be rebuked so very harshly. She always knew which star to wish on , but no one came. Not ever. She had felt so lost and wondered why no one could ever help her – had been even sadder because of it.

Still, she _loathes_ the fairies' fate.

Whenever she comes in this room, she cannot watch it. It is hard to avoid- the blue and pink and yellow and green light that they still radiate even as they weaken and the light struggles- but being indifferent and untouchable around her mother is priority. She cannot flush with shame as she looks at hard, accusing looks. She cannot throb with sympathy as she sees miniscule hands wrapped around shining bars. She cannot afford anything else than indifference.

The light from a thousand caged fairies illuminates the cruel smile on her mother's lips. There are no candles here. Regina has always suspected that mother had planned this, the laws that claimed fairies were 'the lowest breed of creatures, that should enjoy no rights whatsoever' , the trial where one of their greatest was dragged in front of a row of angry nobles for abducting babies, the smear campaigns .. that it was all planned so that she had an excuse to demand fairies to be brought to her.

There is an pained whimper as - _oh dear gods._ You would think that glimpses from this- the screams, the blood that you cannot always scrub out, the hanged bodies of Accused -would be enough to harden Regina but she still hurts whenever someone else does. Mother would call it weak. Regina always tries very hard to not think of it like that.

" Regina, dear do come closer. Fairies do not bite- especially not the pathetic ones that are already nailed to my table".

There is another whimper and now Regina can actually see her; there is a nail right through her abdomen and Cora is trying carefully to pull the wings off her. " What do you require fairy wings for? "

" little things you do not need to concern yourself with. Did the woman confess?".

The fairy screams, once. Regina looks away from the bright red light. " There was nothing to confess to".

She slowly turns her head back, the light now weak enough that she will not get blinded by looking at it. Her mother slowly puts down the equipment, Regina feels her muscles tense as she turns. " Regina, do not be naïve. Naturally, that woman has something to confess. Would I have sent you if she had not?" The fairy yells again when Cora resumes slowly ripping her wings off.

" No, mother " she always tells herself not to, but her voice still gets meek whenever faced with Mother.

" I expect you to watch her closely. She is a threat" .

" She did not even protest".

" I find that very suspicious " Cora's voice hardens. " Did you find anything useful at all?".

" Hardly anything. If she has anything to hide, she has done so extremely well".

The fairy yells one last time. The red light abruptly fades. When Cora raises her hand, she is holding two fairy wings. There are angry shouts- 'monster!' / 'witch' / 'fiend' - and the cages rattle as all over the room fairies throw themselves at it.

" You can return your chambers. I will expect something better the next time".

Regina hurries out of the room, only barely keeping herself from running.

* * *

It is several weeks – perhaps even a month- that she sees the woman again. It is at one of the Rites , where she is standing in front of a small crowd that look at the crying, kneeled people on top of the does not usually go to these- often, she is not even allowed to- so it is either a coincidence or Fate.

She is in the middle of the small crowd, expression indefinable. The people on her sides have stepped away from her, which makes Regina curious. Does the woman have a reputation – or is just the air she has around her, the one that makes it hard to breathe?

She does not even hear the usual ' I have broken the sacred laws that bind this glorious kingdom together' drivel as she stares at the woman. Is she grieving? Or does it anger her more than it pains her to see these people on their knees and the crowd that watches? She could be feeling anything, but Regina is inclined to think-

She slowly turns her head, then gives a little smirk. _Has she noticed me st- observing her all this time?_ Regina slowly looks away, willing the slight flush to disappear. She focuses her eyes on the bumbling of the people on the tribune, but even if she hears the words, they do not actually register. Not only that, but her eyes keep trying to drift to where she knows the woman is-

The Rites are always long, but they have never felt more like eternity than today.

Finally, the people are dragged away, pushed down in the carriage with their shackles still on. She does not even know which ones will live and which ones were sentenced. The crowd mutters and slowly leaves, nearly all of them as eager to leave as Regina herself is.

She is halfway to her carriage when someone grabs her arm. She immediately knows who; there is only one person whose touch would feel like this. " Are you wishing to make a confession?" she asks , voice less harsh and cold than she was going for. It is almost hesitant, stilted.

The woman just smirks slightly, her eyes flitting down before going to Regina's eyes again. "What would I receive if I did?".

" A nice cosy cell and burning iron to your flesh".

 _Beautiful_ Regina thinks absent-mindedly as the woman chuckles. " I won't confess then"

There is a little voice that sounds suspiciously like her mother telling her that this is enough to have this woman arrested and that is her responsibility to, but she silences it. Even if she feels guilty and uncomfortable because of it. " That is sensible- or it would be, if you had not already admitted that there was anything to confess ".

" You won't tell anyone" Regina swallows. The voice and tone have suddenly changed and she tells herself the shivers are caused by the fact that this might be a threat, but she is not sure.

" Oh? "

" You do not want to cause me any issues " the woman breathes. Regina tastes smoke on her lips – w _hen has she gotten this close?_

" D-don't I?".

" I do not think so".

" Perhaps you are wrong".

" Most likely I am right"

" Oh? Are you a seer then".

There is a brief look of distaste. " No, absolutely not".

" Is there any reason that you find that so offensive?".

" Not one that you should know".

Oddly enough, that almost hurts. And her voice is not even particularly harsh. " Release me".

"Perhaps I will. If you tell those blusterous fools to stick their large, deformed noses in someone's else's business".

Regina stares at her. She is close enough that she can see tiny flicks of gold in blue eyes. " I beg your pardon?".

" They are starting to gall me '.

" I have no idea what you think you saw, but I need to- " before Regina can actually step away towards her carriage, a hand grabs her and pulls her forward. She feels her limbs freeze at the expression – fury?- in those eyes

" Do _not_ lie to me" she slowly loosens her grip and Regina nearly chokes on the air she suddenly breaths in. "We both know they are there".

"I am unaware of such a fact"

The gold expands, Regina suddenly feels light-headed. She tries to pull her gaze away, then feels a little sick when she realizes she _can't._ " Are you aware that there are humans situated around my habitat at all times?".

She meant to say no, she meant to laugh, she meant to brush it off. " Yes". _Why did I just tell her that?_

The woman slowly lets go of her. She is back to that almost eerie calm. " If you do not remove them, I will. And I will not be gentle".

Regina stares as the woman moves away. She should tell Cora that her suspicions were right, that this woman is dangero- then she closes her eyes and shakes her head. She has no idea what her mother would do to someone like that.

Her legs shake a little when she gets in the carriage

* * *

She had actually attempted to talk to her mother about it. She had been careful and polite, had actually believed Cora's smile and her 'at the very least I will not hurt her' for a second.

That turned out to be very foolish.

The woman's blonde hair is a bird's nest, her eyes are dull and she fails to hide the furious shivers. Regina gasps as she looks at the hands, at the dried blood on it. She makes to ask what happened- then glances at the bars and sees dark blood there as well.

Regina completely forgets why she had even come down here, in the catacombs of the 'palace' as she sees her. She almost runs towards her, drops to her knees. " What happened? ".

The woman looks up slowly. Regina reaches through the bars for her, that expression so bleak and hopeless that she feels angry and sad in equal measures. " The head inquisitor happened".

" When?".

"Several weeks after our conversation".

"I am so-" .

" Excuses will not return my freedom".

" How can I diminish your suffering?".

She rests against the bars. "A fire would be pleasant".

Her mother did not want her to learn any offensive magic- 'you have guards for that, dear ' – but she has managed to find a book on fire-casting spells. Still, she does not have much opportunities to practise so the fireball dies out three times before she goes to grab a torch-

Only to have the woman's hand wrapped around her wrist and her hand pulled towards goose bumped skin. Blue eyes flutter close and she sighs. "I dread the cold".

" You are pressing a f _ireball_ against your skin".

Those eyes open a little, although they are still slits. " Oh right, your kind is not accustomed to fire. I sometimes forget how fragile you are".

" My kind?" Regina questions, staring at where her hand is still pressed against a chest. her eyes flick up , just in time to see those eyes flare up with gold. She gasps at the same time a groan slips past pressed-together lips.

" Are you all right?".

She waves a hand flippantly. " It is merely the sorcery that coats this cell- it works against my own innate magic".

" What _are_ you?" Regina marvels, staring at her with fascination.

"I believe that humans would call that ' a rude question' "

" M-my apologies, I did not- ".

" I am not human" there is a little of that spark she saw during their first meeting.

Regina huffs. "That was unkind".

"You humans really have thin skin".

" There just was no reason to be unkind".

" My freedom is taken, my fire frozen and I will most likely be executed"

" You won't be executed" Regina knows that. With 'enemies' like these, her mother likes to keep them alive so they suffer more.

" But I will be trapped" it so wrong for a proud, independent woman like this to look so grim and exhausted.

She grabs her hands with her free hand, the fire burning brighter in her other hand. " We will find a solution, I promise".

The woman's smile is wan. " You should not make promises that are so impossible".

* * *

It isn't impossible, just dangerous. Even more dangerous than what she does first, which is sneaking down there to bring warmth or food. She has so many questions that arise before, during and after these trips.

" Do- " she stumbles over the words a little , then manages to more-or-less confidently ask " Do dragons really eat humans?".

" Yes" Regina does not dare to ask for elaboration when she adds " in all possible ways " as she stares at Regina. Her heart nearly beats out of her chest and she is almost glad for the bars at that look. Not that it makes the dragon any less dangerous.

She really has a beautiful laugh, so Regina is not even mad when she is laughed at for blushing slightly.

* * *

She warms the dragon by clasping her hands and slowly lighting a fireball.

Except she is still not very good at lightning fireballs- they often remain small , with a minimum of heat- so the dragon finds ways to draw that fire out. She leans forward suddenly, whispers something that has not just Regina's cheek heat but the fireball as well. She drags her fingers along Regina cheek, cups her chin and orders her to 'make it bigger'. She presses her lips to Regina's neck, warns that she will bite if Regina fails to light a proper fireball.

Regina expects the touches and whispers and insinuations to stop when she learns to light 'proper' fireballs, but they never do.

The woman will not give her name. " Names are sacred to my kind" she explains.

"Why?".

" It is ancient magic. Once you have someone's true name, you have power over them".

" Then do not give me your _true_ name, just a nickname".

Regina startled when she is grabbed and pulled against the bars. They're freezing, the cold hurting her skin as her cheeks press against them. She gasps – " do not ever ask me that again" and then slowly breaths again when the grip tightens and she would be able to pull away.

Not that she actually does.

She finally finds a way. One that will not end with an innocent executed and most likely also without too much pain for herself. She should be glad, relieved that the woman will be free but instead she feels nauseous and toys with the idea to wait one last day.

It is only the dragon's love for freedom that makes Regina able to let her go.

* * *

It is a year later when she sees the woman again.

They're in the middle of a revolt. Regina had been in her carriage one moment and then nearly thrown through the door the next moment. She had managed to clamber out, only to be shocked still at the pandemonium around her-

Neighing horses with limbs that were stuck out the wrong way, their eyes rolling. The horseman on the ground, not moving. A sword through the insigne on the guard's uniform. Furious yells, growling people around her. She had seen the wobbling lip of a child and dived (recklessly, impulsively – even after all Cora's attempts to squander that part of her) in the middle of the fight.

She is hurling fireballs , trying to scare these people off when she is thrown back. She groans as her head hits the ground, the world blurring for a moment as there is searing pain. She struggles to get up, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. She almost wishes she hadn't.

There are pickaxes, fires, bared teeth and even pixie dust. All kinds of creatures are glaring at her, some of them obviously itching to end her. There is a particularly foolish dwarf stepping forward, raising his pickaxe- only to be pulled back by some of his allies. She doubts it has anything to do with goodness, or mercy.

"We can use her to bargain with –C-cora".

"Bah! Like that woman would care about anything enough to listen to our pleas".

A fight breaks out. Some of the dwarves want to use their pickaxes on her, a fairy suggest some sort of magic that sounds suspiciously dark to Regina, a dragon spits fire and suggests they leave it all to them, the werewolves are torn between just eating her or keeping her alive. Amidst all the chaos and the bumbling morons, Regina is trying to concentrate through searing pain and light fireballs. She is drawing her arm back, ready to burn her way to escape when there is hand closing around her own.

The fireballs slowly dies and Regina turns around. "You " .

The Dragon smiles. "Me".

" Are you their leader?".

"Not at all".

" Then what- "" Regina makes an embarrassing sound – something between a squeal and a whimper- when she is picked up and there is a feeling like a slight burn and then the earth has disappeared. She could have thought it was just the knock her head has taken, but worse things have happened to it and also there are furious screams beneath her as she is taken farther and farther away from the mob.

There are approximately three seconds of terror and 'PUT ME DOWN' before she relaxes and stares at the clouds and the bright sky. She closes her eyes and laughs as she feels the wind push her hair back. She opens her eyes again, leans towards a cloud. It is a lot less substantial than it looks.

When she hangs on to the dragon's neck and glances at the world beneath them. Her father used to talk about the giants, about how they were strong and large and yet often gentle no matter what the stories about them being the monsters in the war were. She feels like one of those giants now, looking down at all the ant-like humans behind them.

She enjoys the ride for as long as it lasts, which is shorted than she would have liked to. Too soon, the world beneath them starts to grow again and the wind whips Regina's hair like a goodbye and then the dragon beneath her is laying down so Regina can slide off her. Before her feet even touch the ground, there is smoke and claws change into hands.

" Why did you – " Regina starts to ask, staring with wonder at the woman. She risked the anger of all these people as well as of Regina's mother- who might already have sent guards to look for her. And Cora is very careful to choose people that are not likely to show mercy to anyone.

" You aided me" For some reason, it disappoints Regina. No, not disappoints her-disappointment is far weaker than the feeling that is making her chest feel like it is burning. She stiffens, turns around so that she has much-needed seconds to pull herself together. " So that is all there is to it, then".

" You are not what I expected" Regina slowly turns around, her breath catching at the unexpected proximity of the woman. Those fingers brush against her chin as blue eyes stare at her. Regina _thinks_ that it might be with curiosity or even wonder, but she is not sure. She is sure off very little around this woman.

" What did you expect?".

"Anger. Coldness. Or at the very least the tedious greed and selfishness your kind often seems to have "

" We are not- "

" Why are you not like her? " .

" I have a father as well, you know ''.

" I have spotted your sire once. He lacked the fire you have" she smiles grimly. " And I have yet to encounter a woman as cold as the head inquisitor, so I suspect that is all you".

She doesn't really know how to react to all this. " I believe you are exaggerating".

" We both know I am not".

There is something Regina does not comprehend. " If you – if you despise her that much, then why have you not joined the resistance?".

" Because they will fail".

" You cannot predict that"

" Yes, I can" she studies Regina. " Do you wish to join the resistance? ".

Regina nearly staggers backwards, feeling her heart beat frighten fully fast in her chest. Where it wouldn't be for long, if she ever- _I cannot do that to mother. I love her._ It is only when she mutters the three words over and over that her chest stops to hurt.

" _No_ " she says, but the horrible part of her that she has told 'stop it, you love mother' so many times does want her to. That part is the one that recognized herself in a captured dragon.

" Liar. You crave freedom as much as any dragon".

" Are you calling me a dragon?".

" I am saying you have the spirit of one"

The way she says it makes Regina realize it is likely a compliment – and a rather big one. " Thank you".

The dragon just nods. Regina manages to wait several minutes before asking " what do we do now?".

" We go to my home".

* * *

 _Maleficent_

That is her name. She tells Regina when they are in front of the hearth, after one of the worst days of Regina's life. She is struggling to heal the wound that the sword left on the dragon's shoulder, a nearly impossible task bot because of her trembling hands and how their magic lessons have not covered healing a lot.

Perhaps that was a right decision, because if Regina had known how to defeat a small army, Maleficent likely would not have gotten hurt. She would not have tried to take Regina away from there, would not have swooped too low, would not have been the perfect target for the prince's sword.

She had been desperately and grimly tried to focus her magic, her head a chorus of _my fault my fault my fault_ when she hears that word. The skin beneath her fingers heals with sudden ease. "Maleficent " she whispers.

* * *

It is a sudden realization, one that is not unlike a sword unexpectedly thrown into her stomach. " You ripped out her heart".

Cora nods. She looks completely unnatural, her face completely passive and smooth like a statue's. She studies the heart she holds casually in her hand. Apart from several dark spots, there is one golden ragged line. Maleficent despises this cruel snake even more when she realizes that there is only one thing that can do that to a heart. _Arrows infused with Agape._

" You know, years ago…" Cora sighs and tuts. " my foolish daughter made the same mistake. Always attempting to help the weak. There was this fairy- " she turns to her daughter, whose entire body and face is clear of any emotion except for frightened and pained eyes . "What was her name again?".

" Tinkerbell" Regina whispers, her voice nearly breaking. Cora may control her limbs, her magic and her life but she obviously does not control Regina's feelings.

" Ah, yes. Annoying little thing, always going on about 'finding love' and 'it does not have to be this way'. Of course when I discovered how cosy _my_ daughter as getting with someone so far below her, I simply had to end it".

Mal glances at Regina , who remains impassive apart from eyes that are tearing up. " You took someone she loved away?".

" I hardly took _her_ away. Regina?".

" I –" Regina falters, then pushes on at the sharp voice of her mother commanding her to. " I took her wings. She never forgave me for that".

" _Took_ them?" Maleficent only knows a few ways to take a fairy's wings. All of them are painful. Some are lethal.

" It was either that- or Death" she whispers. Her eyes are begging for understanding.

Cora cuts into the loaded moment. " I suppose you will want to keep this one alive, as well?".

" Mother, _please_ \- " .

" She is not some pathetic _fairy_ Regina. Dragons are far more of a threat than some wingless insect" .

Maleficent bares her teeth. She feels the magic like a raging fire inside her, ready to easily transform her and allow her to rip this woman apart. Regina gasps. "Mal- " they all freeze. Some dragons get obsessed by precious metals- or princesses. Mal has always been able to resist the resist although the second was harder, but she has seen that obsessive desire in others and she recognizes it in Cora now.

" You know her _true_ name"

Maleficent is rushing forward, ready to rip Cora apart but there is someone quicker than her. Regina cries out and slams into the floor, clutching her chest with one hand while she pushes the other deeper in Cora's chest. There are little beads of sweat rolling down her forehead as she resist the spells cast on her. She lurches violently when she finally lets go.

Maleficent rushes towards her, pulling her into her arms. Regina clutches to her and wails as she buries her head in Maleficent's chest. " What happened?".

" We took it from the resistance this morning" Regina manages to choke out. Maleficent had only seen a flash of black, something the size of an orange perhaps being extracted from the bag around Regina's waist. She realizes with a start that it must have been Cora's heart.

Maleficent glances at Cora, who is writhing and gasping as she clutches at her chest. There has long been a rumour that she enchanted her heart so that she could never be tempted to push it back into her chest – as well as keep her daughter from searching for it.

Regina slowly pulls back as she hears her name being choked out. She remains in Maleficent's arms as she reaches for the hand that is straining to meet her. " _M-mother_ ". Cora can do little more than squeeze that hand by now. " You " she gasps. " would have been enough" . You would have expected a more violent dead from a woman who has destroyed so many.

Regina sags against her. Maleficent can hear her cry and allows the distraught woman to press against her and sob. She glances at Cora's hand, that still holds the glowing heart of her daughter. As she watches, the gold fracture disappears.

Regina Mills is finally free.

 **Agape- on of the six types of love that the Greek had. Agape is unconditional love. :**

 **/four-types-of-love-greek-style/**


End file.
